


A Sweet Surprise

by wildholly



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff fluff and more fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, No Smut, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff, and i think thats it!, they have three kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29432406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildholly/pseuds/wildholly
Summary: It's been a while since Harry and Louis have done something special for Valentine's Day, what with having three kids and all. This year, Harry and Louis seek to change that.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	A Sweet Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> for lexie <3 this isn't beta'd so all mistakes are my own

It’s not that Louis is upset, or anything, that Harry hasn’t said anything about Valentine’s Day, and how it’s just around the corner. He was fully aware that they had three kids, all under the age of ten, mind you, and that they took up most of their time, but. At the very least, they could get a babysitter, or even convince one of their parents to watch over them for the night. 

It had been a while since they had spent a day alone together at all, actually. Harry used to go all out on things like Valentine's Day and anniversaries back in their uni days when they had first started dating. The past few years, however, on the days that should have belonged solely to them, have felt more like every other day-to-day life, nothing too special going on or to be celebrated. A quick dinner together was nice, sure, but it was tough to adjust to something so mundane and simple when he was used to receiving only the best. 

It was fine, though, really! Louis was just being silly. Valentine’s Day wasn’t really a big deal, anyways, and if Harry wasn’t going to bring it up, he wouldn’t, either. 

Maybe he was even being a little selfish, as well. While Louis had all the time in the world to daydream about such things, being a stay at home mom and all, Harry worked enough for the both of them. 

It was fine. Louis would be okay. He had learned to stop expecting extravagance. However, a part of him, deep inside, longed to be surprised that year. 

_

Louis wakes up Valentine’s Day morning to an empty bed. Despite his experience with being a mother, he usually liked to sleep in on Sunday mornings, and would sleep in just about every morning, given the chance. However, the feeling of being alone in bed awoke Louis as easily as he had been awake for hours, frowning. After all, there was no excuse for Harry to not be right next to him; it was a Sunday, and he wasn’t working. 

Officially awake, Louis walked into their living room to find that something was definitely off about that day; it was quiet.  _ Too  _ quiet. Checking all of the kids bedrooms quickly, he found that nearly every room in the house had to be empty, unless some practical joke was being played on him, or something. 

In all his worry, Louis nearly missed the note sitting for him on the kitchen counter. Immediately, Louis recognized the messy scrawl as Harry’s. 

_ Took kids out for breakfast. Be back soon. :) - H x _

Louis couldn’t help but feel a flare of annoyance at Harry at the note; why wasn’t he invited to breakfast? What made them think that he wouldn't want to tag along with his family? The annoyance didn’t last long, however, as it was replaced with panic. Was Harry… trying to get away from him? Avoid the time that they would usually spend alone together?

No, it couldn’t be. They hadn’t drifted  _ that  _ apart, had they? Perhaps Harry didn’t even remember that today was a special day. Maybe he thought that it was just some regular old Sunday, and decided to take their kids out for some bonding time with their father. And father only. Yeah, that must be it. 

Didn’t mean Louis wasn’t going to absolutely chew him out for it later, though. 

Crumpling the note in his hands, Louis threw it in the garbage can on his way in the kitchen. He supposed he would be making breakfast for one that morning. 

Louis opened their refrigerator to grab some milk; it would be boring cereal to go along with his boring and uneventful day, when he noticed another note flutter out of the doors, down to the ground at his feet. Interest piqued, he set the milk down on the counter before reaching down and reading yet another short note written in Harry’s messy handwriting. All of these notes seemed to be written in a hurry, Louis noticed. 

_ Have a healthy and nutritious breakfast! After you finish, go here for a surprise! :) - H x _

Below sat an unfamiliar address. Louis couldn’t help but grin down at that note, keeping it by setting it down on the counter. Maybe that day wouldn’t be so uneventful, after all. 

_

Louis knew immediately where he was the minute he pulled up to his first destination. About a 20 minute drive, it was the bakery where Harry used to work at when they had first met. They had spent more than their fair share of dates here in the past, but Louis was glad to be back. 

When Louis entered the establishment,  _ Piece of Cake _ , the sign read, the bell above the door rang familiarly. Louis didn’t have to wonder what he was doing there for long. 

“Oh!” a voice called from the back, urgently approaching. From around the corner, a sweet elderly face appeared, their face lighting up excitedly once they met Louis’ face. “There’s the special boy!” 

Louis grinned, watching as Barb, the owner of the bakery, scuffled to the back, seemingly searching for something. “What am I doing here, Barb?”

It didn’t take long for Barb to find what she was looking for, bringing out a single slice of cake on a fine china plate. “Your favorite,” she smiled fondly, setting it down on the table that Louis had claimed. 

Louis’ favorite, indeed. Beautifully made by probably Barb herself, was a strawberry shortcake. Louis didn’t choose to forget, either, that this was also the cake they had served on their wedding day. 

Before Louis could even think about taking a bite, however, he noticed sticking from the very top of the cake, a toothpick with a note stuck through it. Wasting no time, and almost excited at the prospect of where he would be headed next, he plucked the note from the cake, reading it silently. 

_ For my sweet boy. You’ll want to come here next for a nice-smelling surprise. - H x _

Louis’ rolled his eyes at his husband's corny jokes but nonetheless smiled down at the note, sticking it carefully in his pocket. “This cake looks as amazing as ever, Barb.”

During Louis’ sweet treat, he figured this was as good a chance as ever to get answers as to what exactly this was all leading to. Which reminded him… if Harry hadn’t really planned on coming straight home from breakfast with his children… where were his children?!

“So where are my children during all of this Barb?” Louis teased between the mouthfuls of his cake. 

Barb pretended to zip her lips closed. “It’s a surprise! You’ll just have to wait and find out!” she winked. 

Louis took his time in finishing the delicacy, chatting politely with Barb until there was nothing left but crumbs. Checking the clock before he left, he found it was already half past noon. Whatever Harry had planned, he had better hurry. 

It was about a 10 minute drive to Louis’ next destination. Once again, Louis knew exactly where he was the minute he pulled up. Except this time, his interest was more piqued than ever. 

Walking inside Zayn’s double-owned place of a flower shop and a tattoo parlor, he grinned when he saw his friend. “Hey, Zee.”

“Hey,” Zayn nodded, trimming thorns off of flowers. “Your man was in here earlier, did you know?”

“Was he?” Louis raised an eyebrow, looking around for clues. 

“Yeah. Was probably to let me know to give you these.”

Handing over a large bouquet of yellow daffodils, Louis blushed as he accepted them. Daffodils were his favorite flower. He couldn’t believe Harry remembered… 

Hidden among the flowers, and barely visible, Louis was able to find the next note. 

_ Their beauty could never compare to yours. Go here next? - H x _

Louis carefully tucked the note among the others in his pocket, then suspiciously turning to Zayn. 

“Zaaaaayn. What do you know?”

Zayn simply shrugged his shoulders, still focused on his task at hand. “I don’t know, bro. I would tell you if I knew.”

Louis stared at him for a minute, and the way he couldn’t seem to keep eye contact with him for more than a few seconds. Hm. “Do you know where my kids are, at least?”

Against his own will, Zayn’s lips twitched into a small smile before he was able to compose himself. It was enough, however, for Louis to tell he was hiding something. 

“You liar! You just lied to me!”

“Listen,” Zayn glanced at Louis quickly with a smile tugging at his lips, “it’s supposed to be a surprise. You want me to spoil the surprise for you?”

“Guess not,” Louis shrugged. “Are you supposed to be stalling me right now?”

“Maybe just a little longer.”

Zayn and Louis chat for a bit, and even make plans for later that week to meet up again, Louis realizes at least an hour has passed since he’s been there and he should probably be headed to his next destination. Who knew for how long this witch hunt would be going on for, after all. 

Sitting in his car, Louis realized that he actually recognized the next address where he’s supposed to be going. Biting on his lip to hide a smile, he headed into another 30 minute drive. 

_

Louis pulled up to the parking lot of their local park with a huff. He was sure, now, that this little game had to be nearly over; not only was it getting dark, but he was now only a 5 minute drive away from home. 

It didn’t look any different than how the park usually looked, which Louis took to mean he had to search around a bit. He didn’t quite like the sound of that at all; the park was quite big, and who knew how long it would take for Louis to find the little surprise. Maybe the surprise itself was to make Louis search for nothing the whole day. 

Surprisingly enough, it didn’t take Louis long at all to find the surprise. All it took was an excited shriek for Louis to whip his head over to the playground. The shriek sounded very familiar. Almost like… his children. 

Not sparing another moment to think, Louis refused to admit that he  _ ran _ , he simply walked at a brisk pace to where he heard their voices. If Harry was off somewhere doing who knows what -  _ what were his children doing alone at the park? _

“Louis, you made it!” a gleeful voice called as Louis began to recognize the three figures playing as his children. Oh. It was Niall and Liam. 

“What are you two doing with my kids?” Louis questioned as the two sauntered up to him. 

“We’re watching them for the day,” Liam said simply, shrugging. 

“Okay,” Louis said slowly. “And where is their father?”

Before either of the two traitors could think up a lie, the eldest of the three seemed to spot their mother at last. “Momma!”

Just like that, Louis’ lap was full of happy children as he knelt down to catch them all in a big momma bear hug. “Hello my babies!” Louis grinned, slightly muffled through being suffocated via hugs. “Where’s your daddy?”

Louis’ youngest, Lexie, who had only just turned four, lit up at the question. “Oh! Daddy said to tell you um… to mind your own business!” she grinned, not understanding the words she was saying. 

The other two kids, Rebecca and Charlie, giggled into their hands as Louis scowled playfully. “Alright my babies, go have fun. I love you all!” With one last kiss on each of their foreheads, he shooed them off, content now that he knew they were in safe hands. 

“Right, well.” Louis turned to find Liam digging a small scrap of paper from his shirt pocket. “He said to give you this?”

Smiling faintly, Louis took the note, opening it just to find a childish drawing of a house. By the crayons and signatures at the bottom, Louis could tell it was done by his kids. The note didn’t have to say any more; Louis knew where to go next. 

“What are you guys doing anyways?” Liam continued. “He wouldn’t tell me. Is it some weird sex thing?”

“Liam - what? Shut up.” Shaking his head, flabbergasted, Louis turned to Niall next. “What are you guys gonna do? Are the kids gonna be okay?”

“Louis, stop worrying about the kids!” Niall groaned exaspertably. “They’ll be fine, they’re with us! This is your day, go relax, have fun!”

“I suppose you’re right,” Louis rubbed a hand up and down his arm, suddenly feeling shy at the prospect of what he might find waiting for him at home. Looking up at the sky, he found it had already gotten quite late; he didn’t want to keep Harry waiting! “Have them home by eight!” Louis couldn’t help but call over his shoulder as he headed back to the car. 

__

As Louis predicted, it was only about a five minute drive back to the house, with time to spare. Everything seemed fairly normal by the time Louis got out of his vehicle, headed up the steps to their front door. Harry’s car wasn’t even in the driveway, everything the same as when Louis had left the house that morning. Louis tried the door handle, finding it to be unlocked. Hm. 

Though the outside of the house looked innocent enough, it could not be denied that as soon as you walked into the inside of the house, there had been some drastic changes. 

The lighting in the room had been dimmed a considerable amount, though not enough that Louis couldn’t see in front of his face. Of course, some of that fact could be attributed to the multiple candles that adorned their hardwood floor, making a sort of path that Louis assumed he was meant to follow. 

Toeing his shoes off by the doorway and hanging up his sweater, Louis grinned bashfully as he followed the little path, careful not to knock any over by accident. 

“Harry dear? You home?”

Predictably, there was no answer, though Louis was still a bit disappointed. He missed his husband, and being able to see him again would be highly anticipated; hopefully to happen soon. Louis idly had to wonder just how much money Harry had to spend in order to obtain all of these candles because - damn. 

The candles continued to lead him down the hallway, through the kitchen, and into their dining room, where they slowly but surely became more sparse, eventually leading him to his destination. 

It seemed simple enough, at first sight. After all, their dining table looked the same as it ever did, with a few exceptions, of course. The tabletop was still as pristine as ever, except there was now a single candle burning in the middle. Where there would usually be empty placemats were now occupied by what looked like still steaming plates of food; Louis’ favorite. There were the same amount of chairs, three on the sides, and one on each end, except one of them was occupied, the other waiting patiently for Louis where it was slightly pulled out. 

And then there was Harry. Grinning shyly up at him from the opposite end of the table, more dressed up than Louis had seen him since their wedding day. He fiddled slightly in his seat, waiting. Waiting for Louis’ approval, for him to say something, for anything. 

It wasn’t outlandish, or over the top. It wasn’t something that made the kids feel left out, or abandoned for the day, while also leaving Harry and Louis a moment for themselves. Sure, it wasn’t a parade in his honor, but Louis was happy. 

It was the most perfect kind of simple. 


End file.
